Hartford Courant: After Rell Draws Ethics Line, Aide Crosses It

[Larkspur]

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-rell1214.artdec14,0,4754213.story?coll=hc-headlines-home

Pressing for a good showing on Gov. M. Jodi Rell's first campaign finance report next month, Rell's top aide violated her boss's own ethics policies by handing out fundraiser invitations to top appointees on state time at the Capitol.

Chief of staff M. Lisa Moody also directed those appointees, the governor's commissioners, to distribute the invitations for a big fundraising reception last week. That was less than two months after Rell publicly reminded commissioners that it is against the law for them to solicit campaign contributions.

Moody's actions threaten to tarnish Rell's image as a champion of clean campaigning. The two men vying to be Rell's Democratic opponent, Mayors John DeStefano Jr. of New Haven and Dannel P. Malloy of Stamford, already have accused her of being disingenuous by publicly renouncing special interest money while leaving open the possibility of accepting in-kind assistance from the state Republican Party, which has no such ban.

The Moody episode also could result in a state investigation into whether any of the commissioners given multiple invitations to distribute to others violated the state law barring them from soliciting campaign contributions.
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[NewJeffCT]

1. Unfortunately...

Rell still seems to walk on water with most of the media. I think it was about a year ago after she had imposed the hiring freeze on for all state employees that the Courant found she had hired 3 cronies into cushy jobs - after she had implemented the hiring freeze. One was a part-time job that paid like $70K. Nothing ever came out of that.

[Liberalgirl788]

2. Here's a thought?

Malloy and Destafano should demand that Rell fire her aid for violating state law. Either way, some pretty good press! Maybe even better press if won't do it and defends abuse?

[Nutmegger]

3. She should demand that they be fired

Let the media eat that!